


Five Times Eggsy Forgot and Once He Did Not

by Kit_Amongst_The_Pigeons



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Background Merlin/Roxy Morton | Lancelot, I mean very background to be honest, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26424793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kit_Amongst_The_Pigeons/pseuds/Kit_Amongst_The_Pigeons
Summary: Eggsy finds that he can't always ground himself in the 'after' part of the aftermath.
Relationships: Harry Hart | Galahad/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	Five Times Eggsy Forgot and Once He Did Not

1.

Eggsy Unwin woke up in a place that didn't belong to him. By the looks of the bedroom alone, it looked like it belonged to some swanky bloke who had a lot of cash to just throw around. The bed was really comfortable, but he knew that he couldn't just lay there all day; if the bloke who he'd hooked up with last night came back, then he'd have to awkwardly explain that he didn't remember anything about the night, and that never ended well.

He stood up and noticed for the first time that he was wearing pyjamas, which, although they fit, were clearly not his. He tugged them off and looked around, eventually spying his clothes in a pile in the corner. They were all jumbled up with this posh bloke's stuff, a tie and a pair of nice shoes.

_Oxfords_ thought Eggsy's brain, unbidden, _oxfords not brogues._

He shook his head and put on his own clothes, moving quickly, but carefully. As he made his way downstairs, the pictures on the wall caught his eye. The little girl in them looked a lot like his Daisy only a couple of months older.

He left the house and headed right along the road, hoping that if he walked far enough, he'd come to a place that he recognised, because he sure as hell had never been to this part of London before.

"HEY EGGSY!" came a shout from behind him. A part of Eggsy wanted to break into a full sprint away from whoever it was who knew him, but another part recognised it as a female's voice, so he knew at least that it wasn't his bloke from last night.

He turned and saw a girl jogging towards him, ponytail bouncing against her neck.

"Hey, oh I'm glad I caught you," she said, "you know I'm not a big fan of riding that train on my own."

She fell into step beside him, and then seemed to notice his attire for the first time.

"You're not wearing your suit, Eggsy," she said, "why not?"

"Um, two things," said Eggsy, stopping and looking at her, "one, I don't own a suit, and two, I have no idea who you are."

"What do you mean?" said the girl, "it's me, Roxy, and this game isn't funny, Eggsy."

"You're damn right it's not," said Eggsy, "so stop playing with me."

He made to go, but the girl took hold of his arm.

"You're coming with me."

She led him, against his will, along the road towards a tailors' shop on the next street.

"Eggsy," she said, gently, "I do know you. Trust me. I know that when you get drunk enough, you'll do karaoke, and that when you thought the world was going to end, you wanted me to call your mum and tell her that you loved her, and that you had a full blown crush on Harry Hart."

"Who?"

She stopped dead, paled and gasped for breath, which Eggsy thought was a bit dramatic. Just because he couldn't remember some bloke, honestly.

"Fuck, this is more serious than I thought," she said, "there is no way on earth that I have had to listen to you talk about him for this long and that now you don't remember him, or me."

He could hear real sadness in her voice.

"Hey, I'll come with you, if you think it'll help."

2.

Eggsy strode into the Kingsman mansion, JB tugging on his lead and a slightly confused expression on his face. He made his way quickly to Merlin’s office, where he knew the man would be, despite how early in the morning it was. He had barely knocked before he pushed open the door, to reveal the man, as expected, sat behind his desk, with clipboard I hand and glasses on.

“Morning Merl,” he said, “you lied to me.”

“Oh?” said Merlin, looking up from his clipboard.

“Yeah,” said Eggsy, looking less confused and more annoyed by the second, “you said that Kingsman trainees aren’t allowed off the premises during their training.”

“They aren’t,” said Merlin, “unless it’s part of one of the tests.”

“Well,” said Eggsy, “then explain to me, why I woke up this morning in a house that I’ve never seen before, with my clothes in the wardrobe and pictures of Daisy on the fridge, instead of in that awful dorm-room.”

“Eggsy,” said Merlin, standing up and diverting all of his attention to the young man, “you’re not a trainee anymore.”

“No Merlin,” said Eggsy, “I am. I’ve not done the last two tests yet.”

“Eggsy,” said Merlin, “what was the code-word that you used when you called the number on the back of the medal.”

“Brogues not … no wait, that’s not right,” Eggsy put one hand to his head and frowned,

“Oxfords not brogues, Merl, how did I nearly forget that?”

“I think you’re suffering from traumatic amnesia,” said Merlin, “do you remember anything about Kentucky, or about V Day, or about saving the world.”

“I’ve never been to America, and I’ve never saved the world.”

“Wrong, well, on the second account,” said Merlin, “it was Harry who went to America, Eggsy.”

“Oh yeah,” said Eggsy, “where is he, anyway, I’ve tried calling his number, but it must be wrong, because some old lady picked up.”

“Eggsy,” said Merlin, “I think I’d better explain a few things.”

3.

Eggsy poked his head through the door into Roxy’s office.

“Hey, Rox,” he said, coming into the room fully and looking around, “you busy?”

“Always,” said Roxy, “and never.”

“Thanks, Rox,” said Eggsy, shifting on his face, “can I ask you something?”

“Yeah,” said Roxy, typing on her laptop and only keeping one ear open for his rambling.

“Have you seen Harry?” he asked, moving forwards, “I’ve checked his office, but he’s not there, although, side note, did you know that he has a picture of me and Daisy on his desk?”

“Eggsy,” Roxy got up and moved round her desk towards him, “which office did you go to?”

“The one next to Merlin’s, obviously.”

“Eggsy, that isn’t Harry’s office; that’s your office,” she said, laying one hand on his shoulder, feeling him shaking beneath her palm, “I took that photo of you and Daisy the day we all went to the park.”

“We’ve never been to the park,” said Eggsy, “Rox, we’ve … no wait, we went … Daisy wanted to go on the swings.”

“Yes,” said Roxy, “yeah.”

“So, where’s Harry’s office?” asked Eggsy, frowning and putting a hand over Roxy’s on his shoulder.

“Eggsy,” Roxy said, “let’s go and see Merlin.”

4.

Eggsy was running. His feet pounded the floor and his heart pounded in his chest. He took corners with slides and opened doors with bangs.

“MERLIN!” he yelled

"Yes, Eggsy?" called Merlin, from inside his office, moments before Eggsy hurtled into the room.

Eggsy cast his eyes around, taking in the scene. Roxy was sat, wearing a jumper far too large for her and cradling a mug of tea, on the sofa in the corner of the room. Merlin was half stood at the other end of the sofa, ready to spring into action, should Eggsy require it, and Eggsy did.

"What are you two doing, sitting around and flirting when the world is about to end?"

"Eggsy," said Roxy, "what are you talking about? There are only routine missions occurring at the moment, and none of them have a high enough level to be declared world-threatening."

"Um …" Eggsy looked at her like she was mad, "have you forgotten about Valentine, and Harry, already?"

"Eggsy," said Merlin, tone cautious.

"No!" Eggsy made a move towards Roxy, but found himself pressed up against the man's chest instead, "let me go!"

"Eggsy, Valentine was killed by one of our best agents, four months ago," said Merlin, wrapping his arms around the younger man, "all those who had associated themselves with him were killed too, when we set off the implants in their heads."

"What?"

Merlin could feel tears soaking his jumper and hear Roxy coming to stand beside him. She laid her head on his shoulder and put one hand on Eggsy's shoulder.

"Why can't I remember, Merlin?" asked a muffled voice, "some days I see it all so clearly and other days, I'm like this!"

"It's okay," said Merlin, "it's okay."

5.

Eggsy was walking through the park, Daisy on his shoulders, when he heard Roxy's greeting.

"Hey Rox," he said, smiling and waiting for her, "what are you doing out and about today?"

"Looking for you, actually," said Roxy, arriving at his side, "hello Daisy."

"Hello Roxy," said Daisy, holding out her hands towards the woman.

Roxy helped her down from Eggsy's shoulders and sat her on her hip, arms wrapped protectively around her.

"Looking for me," said Eggsy, "well, I'm flattered, but you could have just called."

"Eggsy, you've had your phone off and you've been ignoring the calls to your landline."

"I don't have a landline in the flat," said Eggsy, brow scrunching with confusion.

"Eggsy," said Roxy, suddenly on guard, "why are you living in the flat again? You moved into your Kingsman house and bought a nicer flat for your mum and Daisy."

"No," said Eggsy, "I'm not a Kingsman agent, because, even though I saved the world, I didn't pass the dog test and so I'm not an agent."

"Merlin overturned that decision when he was left at the head of the organisation."

"I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

The look of fear and defeat in his eyes made Roxy want to cry. He looked to all the world like the young man he was, harrowed by his life and the death of his mentor, friend and the man he loved. Daisy clearly saw it too.

"What's wrong, Eggsy?" she asked, putting both hands on the boy's face.

"Ah, nothing Daisy," he said, "we'll just have to go and see Uncle Merlin for a bit today, okay?"

"Yay, Uncle Merlin!"

+1

Harry stood at the end of the corridor. Eggsy walked towards him slowly, allowing himself to drink in the sight of the man.

"Eggsy," said Harry, when he was close enough that there was no need to shout.

"Hey, Harry," muttered Eggsy, so quietly that the older man almost missed it, "we'd better get to my office then."

A brief expression crossed Harry's face, but by the time Eggsy had noticed it, it had gone again, so he shrugged it off and opened the door to his office instead. Harry followed him meekly into the room.

"So," said Eggsy, sitting at the desk, and fiddling with his photo of Daisy, "you wanna help me with this report then?"

"Okay," Harry's voice sounded slightly confused, but he went over and sat on the edge of the desk anyway, reading the report over Eggsy's shoulder and quietly correcting any grammar errors and smiling at Eggsy's turn of phrase.

The day continued much the same, with Eggsy asking Harry for help with everyday things and forgetting to make him coffee or tea when he put the kettle on.

"Hey, Eggsy, we're going ho..." Merlin stopped mid-sentence as he took in the room, which caused Roxy to walk straight into his back.

"Eggsy, why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" asked Eggsy, getting up and coming round the desk, "I was just about to file my report."

"Tell me that Harry was back."

"What?" The colour dropped from Eggsy's face, and he put a hand on the desk to steady himself, "you can see him?"

"Of course I can, I'm not blind," said Merlin, but Roxy poked him in the side and moved past, putting a hand on each of Eggsy's shoulders.

"Eggsy, talk to me," she said gently, "what did you think was going on?"

"I thought I was forgetting and hallucinating again," said Eggsy, "I thought that he was just in my head, an' he never corrected me."

All three of them turned to look at Harry.

"I imagined that the treatment you gave me was just for what I did to you."

"It wouldn't have been just," said Merlin, "it would be far too little."

"Merlin," said Eggsy, willing him to leave it there, or to talk about how Merlin personally felt.

"The poor lad," said Merlin, moving forwards and waving a finger in Harry's face, "thought you had gone to your early grave still angry, still blaming him. He watched you get shot in the head and went on to save the world whilst battling through the trauma of losing you. And since then, he's been suffering from traumatic amnesia, kept asking when you were coming back, or why you weren't in your office."  
Harry's face seemed to age in the time Merlin was talking; extra worry lines arrived and the sparkle receded from his eyes.

"I d-didn't know," he managed to get out.

"Of course you didn't," said Roxy, moving forwards, "because we've had no contact from you to let us know that you weren't dead! We've being barely holding everything together and you can't just swan back in."

"I am sorry, Lancelot, Merlin."

Merlin gave him a crushing but brief hug.

"You're inviting us to dinner to make up for it," he said, "but I'm just glad that you're alright."

Roxy also moved closer, and whispered in Harry's ear.

"If you don't tell him how you really feel before the end of tonight, then dinner will be puffer-fish, as prepared by me, who has had no training."

The complex threat almost made Harry smile, but he pulled himself together and simply nodded.

"And even if you do," she continued more loudly and brightly, "I'm going to kick your arse next time you and I are training together."

Harry did smile that time.

"I'd expect nothing less."

Then Merlin left the room, followed closely by Roxy, who seemed to place a comforting hand on Merlin's shoulder, which caused Harry some hope that his old friend had found some happiness at last.

And then he was alone again with Eggsy.

"Eggsy, I swear, I thought that you were just pretending not to be bothered by my reappearance to punish me, I had no idea tha-"

Harry's tide of words was cut off by the fist which collided with his chin, sending his head whipping round at the force of it.

Instincts to respond came quickly, but Harry forced them down; the punch was the least that he deserved.

"You know," said Eggsy, "every time I lost my memory again, it was so painful to be reminded of the truth. Every time I saw you around the house, or on the street or helping me out in my office, I thought that you were back, and then Merlin and Roxy would come in, but they wouldn't notice you and I would be reminded that you were dead, and it felt like watching you die over and over again. It sometimes took me days afterwards to haul myself out of bed, let alone in to work, and I forgot months or years."

Harry was simple silent, knowing that this was bleeding the poison out of the memories for Eggsy.

"And I'd be panicking again because I thought that you were in danger. I thought that you were going to die before I could apologise for our fight, before I could tell you how I felt, and then something would remind me that in fact, that had all already happened."  
Eggsy came to a halt in his speech and sat down on the desk, dropping his head into his hands.

"How you felt?"

That caused Eggsy's head to life again, and Harry was both elated and anxious to see the smirk that curved Eggsy's lips.

"Well, I'd say that you were oblivious, but according to Merlin, I was at least as oblivious if not more so," he said, with the huff of a laugh, "I love you."

"Eggsy." Harry crossed the room in two strides, took hold of Eggsy's hands and looked into his eyes, "I love you too."

And then Eggsy was crying, loud and hard, against Harry's chest. Harry wrapped his arms around him and let him lay there. Finally, he had found somewhere to truly belong.


End file.
